They gave debuts to a seamer who had already looked overexposed for England in one-day cricket, and an inexperienced left-arm spinner who was milked for four an over by the Australians while playing for the England Lions last weekend.

On an admittedly flat Oval pitch, the combined figures of Chris Woakes and Simon Kerrigan of nought for 105 underline their ineffectiveness.

Woakes was on in the 13th over after an outstanding spell from Jimmy Anderson that deserved more than the wicket of David Warner. Woakes’s first over in Test cricket was tidy, if unthreatening.

The last ball, slightly short, was eagerly deposited into the midwicket fence by Shane Watson. His second over was polite, the equivalent of a trainee turning up for his first day at the office minding his p’s and q’s.

Once he had got the measure of Woakes, Watson dispatched him for three boundaries off his third. By the time he was removed after five innocuous overs, the score had more than doubled to 64 for one and Watson was into his stride.

That was Kerrigan’s misfortune. Watson had already taken to the left-arm spinner with relish in the Lions match, and now Alastair Cook summoned him to bowl.

Like a Rottweiler sensing a nervous postman, the Australian recognised his opponent’s apprehension immediately, and it was shared by Cook, who gave him a deep cover and a long off from the start.

It did not prevent Watson thumping a boundary off his third ball, a low full toss, and whipping another through midwicket off his fifth.

Usually a debutant breathes a sigh of relief after getting his first over out of the way. Kerrigan’s nerves increased. His eighth ball was slow and pitched woefully short. Watson had time to lay back, count the leg-side fielders, and smack it between them. With calculated intent he advanced up the pitch to the next and drove it over the top for four.

His whole body now taut with tension, Kerrigan stuttered to the wicket almost reluctant to reach the crease. The last two deliveries were not bowled. They fell out of his hand and were both savaged to the

midwicket boundary. Two overs for 28 left Cook with no option but to withdraw him. Australia were 103 for one – Watson 76 not out – and completely in charge. It was an initiative they never sacrificed.

Woakes’s later spells were at least steady. His line and length was consistent. His problem is he does very little with the ball. He jogs in willingly, lets the ball go at a reasonable pace. But he resembles a bowling machine, presenting the ball on an amiable length, inviting driving practice. It was frequently accepted by Watson.

Kerrigan was given another chance by the sympathetic Cook. One over featured a head-high full toss, another a couple of long hops that were so bad the batsmen could not hit them. They almost bounced twice. It was horrible to watch.

What exacerbated his problem was his jerky, abbreviated action. A spinner needs to use his body and a full follow through to impart spin and disguise his variations of pace. Bad balls can be partly camouflaged.

Yesterday Kerrigan barely used his front arm and flicked rather than bowled the ball with a very short trajectory. There was no hint of deception. He suffered a minor form of the yips.

The chairman of selectors, Geoff Miller, well remembers a Derbyshire left-armer, Fred Swarbrook, who suffered the same affliction.

He saw a faith healer, who advised him to keep a lucky pebble in his pocket. When he continued to bowl double bouncers and full tosses his captain said: “Fred, get rid of the ball and try bowling the pebble!”

It is to be hoped that one of England’s array of backroom staff can find a cure for Kerrigan and quick.